(1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to deposit and collection receptacles and more particularly to mail boxes.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
Much of the mail today is delivered by mailman from vehicles. Often, the vehicles deliver it in suburban areas. There is a desire for mailboxes which are pleasing in appearance and also well adapted to be self supporting and to have the mail protected. Also, when the mail boxes are in rural areas on the edge of roadways, it is desired that they be constructed so that the box itself does not form a missile in the windshield of a vehicle if struck at high speed.
In suburban locations often the mail is not delivered to the door of the house but the patrons are required to place a box on the sidewalk or adjacent to the sidewalk. It is desirable in such a case to have a box which obstructs the sidewalk as little as possible and also does not form a hazard for children playing or riding bicycles upon the sidewalks.
Before this patent application was filed, a search was made in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The following U.S. Patents were discovered upon that search.
Bishop--U.S. Pat. No. 636,947 PA1 Waltermire--U.S. Pat. No. 1,215,753 PA1 MacDonald--U.S. Pat. No. 1,327,957 PA1 Stay--U.S. Pat. No. 1,759,667 PA1 Jaden--U.S. Pat. No. 1,810,769 PA1 Roe--U.S. Pat. No. 2,352,975 PA1 Duppelhammer--U.S. Pat. No. 2,421,603 PA1 Mioduski--U.S. Pat. No. 2,988,268 PA1 Lindahl--U.S. Pat. No. 3,080,107 PA1 Gegax--U.S. Pat. No. 3,343,785 PA1 Morgan--U.S. Pat. No. 3,735,919 PA1 Caldwell--U.S. Pat. No. 3,968,928
MORGAN shows a box having the general configuration of this application. MORGAN discloses a rather complex upper and lower compartment arrangement so that the incoming mail is dropped to a lower locked compartment as soon as the door is closed. There is an arrangement wherein outgoing mail may be retained in the upper compartment.
GEGAX discloses a mail box having a tilted or pivoted letter box somewhat similar to this application.
WALTERMIRE discloses a mail box having a tilting letter box with the travel of the letter box limited.
The remainder of the references do not seem as pertinent as those specifically discussed above.